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US duped by Iran via Chalabi
From: dave () farber net
Date: Sat, 22 May 2004 11:21 -0400
...... Forwarded Message ....... From: Benjamin Kuipers <kuipers () cs utexas edu> To: Dave Farber <dave () farber net> Cc: Benjamin Kuipers <kuipers () cs utexas edu> Date: Sat, 22 May 2004 10:14:45 -0500 Subj: US duped by Iran via Chalabi Sources say U.S. funded arm of Iraqi Congress was used by Iran http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/ny-uschal223814238may22,0,7556308.story BY KNUT ROYCE WASHINGTON BUREAU May 22, 2004 WASHINGTON - The Defense Intelligence Agency has concluded that a U.S.-funded arm of Ahmad Chalabi's Iraqi National Congress has been used for years by Iranian intelligence to pass disinformation to the United States and to collect highly sensitive American secrets, according to intelligence sources. "Iranian intelligence has been manipulating the United States through Chalabi by furnishing through his Information Collection Program information to provoke the United States into getting rid of Saddam Hussein," said an intelligence source Friday who was briefed on the Defense Intelligence Agency's conclusions, which were based on a review of thousands of internal documents. The Information Collection Program also "kept the Iranians informed about what we were doing" by passing classified U.S. documents and other sensitive information, he said. The program has received millions of dollars from the U.S. government over several years. An administration official confirmed that "highly classified information had been provided [to the Iranians] through that channel." The Defense Department this week halted payment of $340,000 a month to Chalabi's program. Chalabi had long been the favorite of the Pentagon's civilian leadership. Intelligence sources say Chalabi himself has passed on sensitive U.S. intelligence to the Iranians. Patrick Lang, former director of the intelligence agency's Middle East branch, said he had been told by colleagues in the intelligence community that Chalabi's U.S.-funded program to provide information about weapons of mass destruction and insurgents was effectively an Iranian intelligence operation. "They [the Iranians] knew exactly what we were up to," he said. 'Sophisticated' operation He described it as "one of the most sophisticated and successful intelligence operations in history." "I'm a spook. I appreciate good work. This was good work," he said. An intelligence agency spokesman would not discuss questions about his agency's internal conclusions about the alleged Iranian operation. But he said some of its information had been helpful to the United States. "Some of the information was great, especially as it pertained to arresting high value targets and on force protection issues," he said. "And some of the information wasn't so great." At the center of the alleged Iranian intelligence operation, according to administration officials and intelligence sources, is Aras Karim Habib, a 47-year-old Shia Kurd who was named in an arrest warrant issued during a raid on Chalabi's home and offices in Baghdad Thursday. He eluded arrest. Karim, who sometimes goes by the last name of Habib, is in charge of the information collection program. The intelligence source briefed on the Defense Intelligence Agency's conclusions said that Karim's "fingerprints are all over it." ------------------------------------- You are subscribed as interesting-people () lists elistx com To manage your subscription, go to http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ip Archives at: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/
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